Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Sage was practically jumping up and down when they stepped forward. Going onto her tippy-toes, she tried to look over the shoulder of the two men in front of them. “I’ve been looking forward to this one,” she told him enthusiastically. “I …”
A booming voice from behind the counter of the stall drowned out what she had been about to say.
“Is that you, little Chopin?”
Recognizing the voice, Kent immediately lowered his head.
“Twister!” Sage screeched, tearing away from him to fling herself through the crowd toward the man who came from behind the stall to meet her halfway.
Jerking his head up, for a stunned moment, he was unable to react at seeing the look of pure joy transform Sage’s features.
There wasn’t anything special about Sage’s facial features. She was attractive, but there was nothing to make her stand out. In fact, if he didn’t need her, Kent didn’t think he would have given her a second glance until he had seen her body at Matthias’ house. The woman he was looking at now bore no resemblance to the woman he had become used to.
Watching her fling herself into the arms of the burly ex-president of the Phantoms shook him to his core at how much she had been holding back.
He managed to weave through the crowd to stand next to her and saw he wasn’t the only one shocked at the show of emotion between Twister and Sage.
“My girl is almost grown up!” Catching Sage mid-air, he pulled her into a hug, his massive arms bulging as he held her tightly off the ground. Everyone around stared with open mouths as Sage laid her head on his shoulder, burying her face into his neck.
Twister’s reaction was just as emotional. Kent would have sworn the man he had grown up knowing would kill anyone who looked at him the wrong way was holding his date as if she was the most precious thing on earth.
“I went by your house when I moved back. The woman living there said your house had been sold at auction.” Raising her head from his shoulder, she stared, as if memorizing his face. “I thought you had died.”
Laughing hard, Sage bobbed up and down in Twister’s arm.
“I was locked up. My shit attorney took my house when I couldn’t pay my legal bills.”
“I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved that house.”
“It’s okay. The best part of living there was gone after your dad passed away and you moved.”
Was that a fucking tear escaping Twister’s eye as he gently placed Sage back on her feet?
Sage gave Twister a smile that was like a rocket punch to his gut. She had never looked at him that way.
Gruffly, Twister placed a hand on her chin, lifting her face so he could get a better look. “You look just like Judith. I told your dad I don’t know how he ever managed to catch her.”
Sage leaned into Twister’s side, placing an arm around his waist to maintain the contact between them. “Mom was on the track team in high school. Dad joined so he could sit with her on the bus when they went to track meets. He also said it prepared him to keep up with her.”
“Son of a bitch told me she chased after him.”
Sage’s face filled with amusement. “He lied. Dad wasn’t about to tell you the truth, not when you always had women chasing after you.”
Kent barely prevented his mouth from dropping open when Twister’s face turned ruddy in embarrassment. “Yeah … well …” Twister cleared his throat, threatened by the snorts of laughter coming from the Phantoms standing beside Sage. “Those days are long gone.” Patting his belly straining the threads of his T-shirt, he gave a self-deprecating grimace, which no one fucking believed, aware that Twister still had a string of women at his disposal. “I haven’t seen you since your mom’s funeral. What have you been doing since you graduated Julliard? Are you playing around here … I’ll have to come to a—”
When Sage started shaking her head, Twister broke off.
“I didn’t graduate,” she said quietly, stepping away from Twister’s side. “I don’t play the piano anymore.”
Twister’s flummoxed expression made Sage glance away, becoming aware others were watching and listening. Her face turned guarded. This was the Sage he was more familiar with. A pang in his chest made him wish the other Sage he had caught a glimpse of had stayed longer.
“Life doesn’t always turn out the way we want it to.”
“It sure as shit doesn’t,” Twister agreed, sadness filling his eyes. “I missed you, little Chopin.”
Sage’s lips tightened. Kent could tell she was having a hard time holding back her feelings at what Twister had said.
“I’ve missed you, too.” her voice trembled. “The happiest parts of my childhood were spent in my basement with you and Dad making your concoctions.” Nodding to the stall behind them, she gave him a questioning glance. “Is this your business?”